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Maternal exposure to magnesium sulphate has a neuroprotective effect in premature infants. This study aimed to examine this neuroprotective effect and the dose-response relationship in very-low-birthweight infants born between 24 and 32 weeks of gestation.A retrospective cohort study compared the rates of mortality and brain damage between three groups: no magnesium sulphate, low-dose (50g) magnesium sulphate and high-dose (≥50g) magnesium sulphate.Japanese maternal and neonatal databases were linked using six key parameters from 2003 to 2007. Of 298,514 deliveries, 9101 were very-low-birthweight infants. Among these, full matching was possible for 5562 infants. Of the fully-matched infants, 3763 were born between 24 and 32 weeks of gestation, and 1813 (48%) were followed-up beyond 18 months. A multivariate analysis of the data, including gestational age, sex, fetal growth restriction, antenatal steroids and low pH (7.1), showed that the low-dose group had no beneficial effects in terms of a reduction in mortality or incidence of brain damage (cerebral palsy or mental retardation). The high-dose group showed a significantly higher mortality rate [odds ratio (OR) 1.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-2.9]. A stratified subgroup analysis of infants born between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation showed that survivors in the low-dose group had significantly lower rates of cerebral palsy (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.98) and brain damage (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.9), while the high-dose group did not show any significant changes.This study found that antepartum exposure to magnesium sulphate did not reduce the infant mortality rate or influence neurological outcomes. However, among infants born between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation, rates of cerebral palsy and brain damage were found to be significantly lower among survivors in the low-dose group.

The aim of this study was to characterize lung lesions by means of the uptake, retention and washout of 201 Tl, and to quantify the sensitivity of 201 Tl SPET (single photon emission tomography) in detecting mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. A total of 68 patients with lung lesions (tumours and inflammation) underwent both helical computed tomography (CT) and 201 Tl SPET examinations. Uptake, retention and washout parameters were calculated from early and delayed 201 Tl SPET by drawing regions of interest over the primary lesion and the background of the lung. The findings on 201 Tl SPET were compared with those on CT and surgical findings. A significant difference in the retention index (RI) was observed between primary malignant and benign lesions. In detecting lymph nodes, the sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value were 83%, 60% and 90% respectively for early 201 Tl SPET, and 50%, 80% and 80% respectively for delayed 201 Tl SPET. 201 Tl SPET with semi-quantitative analysis, especially RI, helps to differentiate between malignant and benign lung lesions. Lymph nodes larger than 1 cm on CT but not showing 201 Tl uptake could be considered non-metastatic lesions.

Wires of aluminium and aluminium-silicon alloys containing 5.2 and 12.1 wt% Si were exploded in air by electric discharge, and the properties of the powders obtained were examined. The powders consisted of large particles of several micrometres and very fine spherical ones, which were formed from the metallic droplets and vapours, respectively, and were mostly oxidized. The large particles decreased with an increase in the charged energy. Although the particle-size distribution was broad, the average particle sizes were small and were increased from 0.7 μm to 1.3 μm with an increase in the charged energy. These powders were identified as γ-alumina, amorphous alumina-silica compound and a small amount of the metal. The amorphous phase crystallized to mullite in the temperature range 1153–1243 K, and the crystallization temperature fell with increase in the charged energy because the amount of fine particles formed from the vapours increased.

The superconducting properties of Zn-doped YBa2Cu3O7 have been investigated by the 63Cu-NQR and -NMR technique. Both the Knight shift K and the nuclear-spin-lattice relaxation time T1 were measured by using the oriented powder. The residual spin Knight shift of 63Cu at 4.2 K increases appreciably with increasing Zn-content from x=0.01 to 0.02. Correspondingly, the T1T=constant law holds at low temperatures far below Tc=79 K and 68 K for x=0.01 and 0.02 respectively, providing a clear sign of gapless superconductivity with finite density of states at the Fermi level, whereas the behavior of rapid decrease of 1/T1 just below Tc is almost unchanged even though Zn impurities are doped into the CuO2 plane. The NMR results in the Zn-doped and undoped YBa2Cu3O7 can be well interpreted by the combined effect of the gap zeros of lines at the Fermi surface originating from a d-wave pairing and the residual density of states at the Fermi level induced by non-magnetic Zn-impurities and by some imperfection of the crystal existing inevitably even in undoped YBa2Cu3O7.

According to a progress of the software process improvement, the time series data on the number of faults detected by the software testing are collected extensively. In this paper, we perform statistical analyses of relationships between the time series data and the field quality of software products. At first, we apply the rank correlation coefficient /spl tau/ to the time series data collected from actual software testing in a certain company, and classify these data into four types of trends: strict increasing, almost increasing, almost decreasing, and strict decreasing. We then investigate, for each type of trend, the field quality of software products developed by the corresponding software projects. As a result of statistical analyses, we showed that software projects having trend of almost or strict decreasing in the number of faults detected by the software testing could produce the software products with high quality.

Reduction of the noise figure of silicon MOSFETs at 2 GHz operation has been investigated. It was confirmed that reduction in gate length and the resistances of source and drain are effective to reduce the noise. There is very small difference in the fT value of Ni- and Ti-salicide MOSFETs, but NFmin was significantly smaller in the Ni case that that of Ti. Very small NFmin values of 0.6 dB and 1.4 dB for n- and p-MOSFETs, respectively, with Lf=5 /spl mu/m and Wg=200 /spl mu/m were obtained for the first time by using 0.2 /spl mu/m Ni-salicide CMOS technology. Power consumption of this n-MOSFET to obtain the NFmin value of 1 dB reduced significantly to 1/8 of that of without Ni-salicide. These results suggest a high possibility of deep-submicron CMOS for application into RF frontend telecommunication ICs which have been conventionally produced by using mainly III-V devices.

This paper presents a 1.5 V, full CMOS, quadrature, direct upconversion mixer for multi-mode wireless communications. The chip includes both a wide band polyphase filter, the linear quadrature up-conversion mixers and a single-ended output stage. More than 35 dBc mirror suppression has been measured over the 700 MHz to 3 GHz frequency range, without any additional trimming or tuning. Any distortion or intermodulation component is lower than -32 dBc and the LO feedthrough is below -35 dBc up to 3 GHz. The chip has been realized in standard 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS technology.

Major central nervous system (CNS) complications such as seizures and coma, occur in about 30% of children with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Serious CNS involvement is associated with an increased mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate intracranial hemodynamics in HUS encephalopathy. We measured mean blood flow velocity and pulsatility index (PI) of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) with transcranial Doppler (TCD) in a two year-old girl with acute encephalopathy, and compared them to those in a one year-old girl with febrile convulsion incidentally complicating HUS (a disease control). In the patient with HUS encephalopathy TCD demonstrated abnormally low PI of 0.58, while the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT) reveal no abnormal findings in the acute stage. The abnormal TCD findings disappeared with her recovery. In the HUS patient with febrile convulsion alone, TCD demonstrated normal maximal flow velocity and PI. Thus TCD may be useful in evaluating intracranial hemodynamics in HUS encephalopathy in the absence of MRI and SPECT abnormalities at the early stage of illness.

The aim of this study was to characterize lung lesions by means of the uptake, retention and washout of 201Tl, and to quantify the sensitivity of 201Tl SPET (single photon emission tomography) in detecting mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes. A total of 68 patients with lung lesions (tumours and inflammation) underwent both helical computed tomography (CT) and 201Tl SPET examinations. Uptake, retention and washout parameters were calculated from early and delayed 201Tl SPET by drawing regions of interest over the primary lesion and the background of the lung. The findings on 201Tl SPET were compared with those on CT and surgical findings. A significant difference in the retention index (RI) was observed between primary malignant and benign lesions. In detecting lymph nodes, the sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value were 83%, 60% and 90% respectively for early 201Tl SPET, and 50%, 80% and 80% respectively for delayed 201Tl SPET. 201Tl SPET with semi-quantitative analysis, especially RI, helps to differentiate between malignant and benign lung lesions. Lymph nodes larger than 1 cm on CT but not showing 201Tl uptake could be considered non-metastatic lesions.

We investigated the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 beta), and IL-6 as proinflammatory cytokines in CSF to facilitate differentiation between acute encephalitis/encephalopathy and prolonged febrile seizures. We studied 20 children with prolonged febrile seizures and 23 with acute encephalitis/encephalopathy, including 8 with an acellular CSF. TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 in CSF were measured by ELISA. We found that TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 were undetectable in CSF of all children with prolonged febrile seizures and control subjects but that the concentrations of TNF-alpha was elevated in 11, of IL-1 alpha in 6, and of IL-6 in 17 of 23 children with acute encephalitis/encephalopathy. Twenty-two of 23 children with acute encephalitis/encephalopathy had elevated concentrations of one or more cytokine. Elevated concentrations of the CSF proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6, indicate acute encephalitis/encephalopathy rather than febrile seizures.

Measurement of 99mTc-MAG3 plasma clearance based on 1-compartment model (MPC method) were applied to 12 pediatric patients and evaluated for the factors which might affect the calculated results. Depth correction is a critical factor for the measurement of renal uptake. Three different equations for estimating renal depth were compared with the real depth measured by ultrasonography. The equation proposed by K. Itoh was suitable though the equations by T. Ito and Raynaud were insufficient. Estimation of distribution volume, which is regarded as circulating plasma volume (CPV), is also critical for the calculation of MAG3 clearance by MPC method. Precisely, hematocrit measured by venous sampling and circulating blood volume (CBV) calculated as 7.5% of body weight are used for estimation of CPV. However, assumed CPV as 5% of body weight was acceptable if the hematocrit was not severely deviated from the normal value. Simplified MPC method utilizing two factors mentioned above gave a positive correlation with Russell's one point sampling method. In conclusion, MPC method is applicable for pediatric patients.

In an attempt to measure the visual field objectively, we developed a system of "Pupil Perimetry". An infrared pupillometry machine was linked to a Goldmann perimeter to record the visual field by mapping the change in the pupil area (mm2) at each target location within the field. We decreased the background intensity to 10Asb to get maximum pupil response. The target was exposed for 0.25 seconds with an intensity of 1,000 Asb. Pupil response was observed up to 90 degrees laterally and 60 degrees nasally across a meridian in normal subjects. Visual fields obtained from patients with homonymous hemianopsia, glaucoma and Leber's optic neuropathy were compatible with a field obtained by a Humphrey field analyzer (FHA) 30-2 program. Pupil perimetry is a useful tool for measuring the visual field objectively.

The effect of topical application of prostaglandin-related compound isopropyl unoprostone on refraction and accommodation were examined. Topical application of isopropyl unoprostone obviously reduced the intraocular pressure, but no significant change in refraction was observed. Amplitude of accommodation, i.e., near point and far point of accommodation, were kept unchanged, although isopropyl unoprostone produced a slight hyperopic shift in dark focus of accommodation. These findings suggest that the reduction of intraocular pressure needs to be explained by a mechanism other than the relaxation of ciliary muscles.

The alpha 2-adrenergic antagonists, yohimbine and rauwolscine, and the alpha 1-adrenergic antagonist, bunazosin, were used to explore the role of alpha-adrenergic receptors in the regulation of the circadian rhythms of intraocular pressure and aqueous flow in New Zealand white rabbits. Blockade of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors with yohimbine or rauwolscine produced small decreases in intraocular pressure during both light and dark phases. Rauwolscine had no effect on aqueous flow during the light or dark, but it increased the concentration of norepinephrine in the aqueous during both light and dark. These observations are difficult to reconcile with earlier suggestions that increased sympathetic input to the eye increases intraocular pressure and aqueous flow during the dark. The role of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors in the control of the circadian rhythm of intraocular pressure is unclear. Blockade of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors with bunazosin produced a dose-dependent reduction of IOP during the dark phase of the circadian cycle, a smaller reduction during the light phase, and no reduction during either light or dark in rabbits after superior cervical ganglionectomy or preganglionic section of the cervical sympathetic trunk (decentralization). Bunazosin decreased pupil diameter during the dark phase but had no effect on aqueous flow. Because it is unlikely that alpha 1-adrenergic blockade increased outflow facility or uveoscleral outflow, the mechanism for the role of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in the control of the circadian rhythm of intraocular pressure in rabbits remains to be identified.

The de Haas-van Alphen effect has been measured in magnetically oriented YBa2Cu3O7 powder in steady high magnetic fields up to 27T with the modulation technique. A broad band centered at 540T, which corresponds to an external cross-section of 0.052 ±0.003A-2, appeared in the Fourier spectrum for H//c-axis. The effective mass was estimated to be 2.1 ± 0.5 me, based on the temperature dependence of the amplitude of this band.

The concentrations of catecholamines and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in the aqueous of rabbits entrained to 12-hr light:12-hr dark were measured at six times during the circadian cycle. Aqueous norepinephrine was higher in the dark than in the light; the minimum concentration at 1.5 hr after lights on, and maximum concentration at 6 hr after lights off, were 1.21 +/- 0.17 and 4.60 +/- 0.79 ng/ml, respectively. The concentrations of epinephrine and dopamine were less than the sensitivity of the assay (0.1 and 0.4 ng/ml, respectively) at all times. Aqueous cyclic AMP was also higher in the dark than in the light; the minimum concentration at 6 hr after lights on, and maximum concentration at 10.5 hr after lights off, were 11.5 +/- 1.2 and 29.4 +/- 2.7 pmol/ml, respectively. Superior cervical ganglionectomy reduced aqueous norepinephrine during light and dark to less than the sensitivity of the assay (0.1 ng/ml); preganglionic section of the cervical sympathetic trunk (decentralization) did not reduce aqueous norepinephrine as much as ganglionectomy but markedly reduced its concentration during the light and dark. Superior cervical ganglionectomy or pretreatment with 0.1% timolol virtually eliminated, and decentralization markedly reduced, the dark-phase increase of aqueous cyclic AMP. Most of the daily changes in norepinephrine and cyclic AMP persisted in animals housed in constant dark; this is consistent with the fraction of both changes which persisted in constant dark being circadian. These results support the idea that increased adrenergic activity during the dark increases the rate of aqueous flow and intraocular pressure in rabbits.

Aqueous flow was measured fluorophotometrically in New Zealand white rabbits after unilateral decentralization of the cervical ganglion or cervical ganglionectomy to determine the role of ocular adrenergic input in regulating the circadian rhythm of aqueous flow. Both surgical procedures decreased the rate of aqueous flow during the dark phase when flow is high. During the light phase when flow is low, cervical ganglionectomy increased aqueous flow; decentralization may have increased flow also, but the increases were not statistically significant. Aqueous flow was also measured in normal rabbits after topical application of timolol during the light or dark to determine whether beta-adrenergic receptors play a role in controlling the circadian rhythm of flow. Timolol produced a small reduction of the rate of aqueous flow when applied topically during the dark but not during the light. These results suggest that part of the increase of aqueous flow during the dark phase is produced by adrenergic input to the ciliary processes and that beta-adrenergic receptors mediate part of this increase.

Measurements of de Haas van Alphen effect have been carried out using modulation technique in steady high magnetic fields up to 27T at the temperatures range between 1.8 and 4.2K. A broad band centering at 540T, which corresponds to the extremal cross-section of 0.052± 0.003A−2, appeared in the Fourier component for H//c-axis. The effective mass was estimated to be 2.1 −0.5 +2 me by the temperature dependence of the intensity of the band.

The laser flare-cell meter is a newly developed instrument designed to measure anterior chamber protein concentration in vivo. There was a linear relationship between photon count measured with this instrument and the concentration of bovine serum albumin. Measurements were taken in 29 eyes of normal subjects divided into two groups. Group 1 (15 eyes) had brown or dark irises and Group 2 (14 eyes) had blue or green irises. Photon counts obtained from Groups 1 and 2 were not significantly different. Aqueous protein concentrations estimated from standard curves were 15.7 and 18.6 mg/100 ml for Groups 1 and 2, respectively. On the other hand, the background value obtained from Group 2 was about twice the value from Group 1. These results indicate that background scattering has little effect on photon count. There was a good correlation between photon counts measured with the laser flare-cell meter and the evaluation of flare made by conventional microscopic observations. It was concluded that this instrument will be useful for clinical research studies.

During from 24 Oct. 1971 to 31 Aug. 1976, 3580 newborn babies were examined by orthopedic surgeons using five techniques within a few days after birth.Five techniques are as follows, Ortolani's click sign, Palmen's test, telescoping test, crepitation and limitation of abduction.Click sign was noted in 91 newborns (2.5%).In the group of click sign negative, crepitation was noted in 167 cases, in which acetabular dysplasia was noted in 29 cases. This high incidence of acetabular dysplasia in the crepitation positive group was the most remarkable finding in these examinations.In order to diagnose the joint laxity, these various technique are considered to be useful.A case was reported, which click sign positive in the newborn, but recieved no treatment was become to difficult case.Other treated cases were all obtained excellent results.In these examination, some dislocation were overlooked, and then we consider that taking roentogenograms and reexamination within three months and six months after birth is valuable.

Transport properties were investigated in ( NiAl ) 1− x M x , M = 3 d transition metals, in order to examine the extrinsic nature of NiAl. Experimental results are well described by the s−d exchange (Kondo) theory from which exchange energy J , Kondo temperature T k , and spin value S were estimated. A comparison between our results and the results from dilute alloys is made.

In comparison with soft tissue ganglia, the intraosseous ganglion is relatively rare. Although cases of intraosseous ganglia were described in the literature, their occurrence in the carpal bones is indeed rare. We have encountered a patient with an intraosseous ganglion of the scaphoid bone of the wrist.A 63-year-old woman complained of some pain in her left wrist. There was limitation of motion but not inoammition. Roentgenographic study demonstrated a round-to-oval, radio lucent cystic lesion in the scaphid bone of the wrist. Operation was carried out for the purpose of both diagnosis and treatment. The scaphoid bone consisted of yellow fibrous cystic material, and this was removed and curettaged of the cavity, and then the defect was packed with banked bone. Histologically the wall of the cyst is composed of fibrous tissue without lining cells, and we finally made a diagnosis of intrasseous ganglion.

Two cases of osteochondral fracture of the lateral femoral condyle were surgically treated. One patient is a 16-year-old girl who fell during hurdlerace. In this case, this fracture resulted from patellar dislocation. The fragment was surgically removed. Another patient is a 26-year-old man who was forced to overstretch his right knee during baseball. The operative findings suggested that the mechanism of this fracture was a tibiofemoral contact by overstretching the knee. The fragment was removed and the original site was shaved down.

The magnetic susceptibility, resistivity, magnetoresistance, and NMR properties of very pure stoichiometric NiAl samples have been measured. The Kondo-like phenomena previously observed in this material are absent suggesting that the intrinsic properties agree with a simple Fermi surface as predicted by APW calculations.

Several kinds of oxides were examined as a material for protection layer of magneto-optical disk. Aging characteristics such as transparency and crystal structure of Tb thin film sandwiched by the oxide layers were examined in order to estimate the validity of oxides. Well-known oxides such as SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 , were found to be inadequate as a protection layer for the RETM film. Mixed oxids based on Al 2 O 3 were found to be one of the most suitable protection layer.

The properties of the localized magnetic state formed by Fe impurities in stoichiometric NiAl have been studied from 50 to 2000ppm Fe. We have measured the low temperature resistivity, the magnetoresistance and the magnetization down to 1.3K and in magnetic fields to 25 kOe. The bulk properties are consistent with local moment behavior with an effective moment per Fe impurity of 4.9 μB and a concentration independent Curie‐Weiss θ of 1.0K. Because of the long Al27 spin lattice relaxation time (T1T=28.5 sec K), the Fe impurity contributions to T1 can be easily measured even for the lower Fe concentration samples. The T1 results suggest that the radius of the nuclear spin diffusion barrier is considerably smaller in NiAl than in systems such as Cu¯Mn and LaAl2¯ Gd.

Effects of indomethacin and prostaglandins (PGs: PG E1, PG E2 and PG F2 alpha) on electrical and mechanical properties of the dog iris sphincter and dilator muscles were studied using isometric tension recording and microelectrode methods. When field stimulations (50 V, 0.4 msec, 10 stimuli at 10 Hz) were applied every 1 min, the muscle tone was gradually elevated in both muscle tissues. Application of 10(-6) M indomethacin gradually reduced the tone of the muscle tissues; however, this reduction was more pronounced in the sphincter muscle. On the contrary, exogenously applied PG F2 alpha increased the muscle tone in both tissues. Ca-free solution reduced the tone in both muscle tissues. Following pre-treatment with indomethacin, Ca-free solution had no effect on the muscle tone in the sphincter; however, it did reduce the tone in the dilator muscle. Indomethacin (10(-6) M) or PGs (PG E1, PG E2 and PG F2 alpha: up to 10(-7) M) had no effect on the resting membrane potential of both muscles. PG F2 alpha dose-dependently contracted both of the sphincter and dilator muscles. PG E1 and PG E2 had little effect on the mechanical properties of these muscles. Neither atropine nor guanethidine affected the amplitude of contractions evoked by PG F2 alpha. These results suggest that endogenous PG F2 alpha may contribute to maintenance of the muscle tone of the sphincter muscle but contributes to a lesser degree in the dilator muscle in the dog iris. PGs apparently act directly on these muscles rather than through the release of adrenergic or cholinergic neurotransmitters.

Neuro-effector transmission and mechanical responses in smooth muscles of the dog iris were studied, using tension recording and microelectrode methods. Electrical stimulations evoked an initial phasic contraction followed by relaxation in both the iris sphincter and dilator muscles. Atropine selectively suppressed phasic contraction of the sphincter and relaxation of the dilator muscle, while guanethidine selectively blocked relaxation of the sphincter and contraction of the dilator muscle. Pharmacological investigations revealed distributions of alpha 1-excitatory (mediating contractions) and alpha 2-inhibitory (mediating relaxations) adrenoceptors in addition to beta-inhibitory adrenoceptors in the sphincter muscles, and alpha-excitatory and beta-inhibitory adrenoceptors in the dilator muscle. These results indicate that the iris sphincter and dilator muscles receive double reciprocal innervations by the cholinergic and adrenergic nervous systems. Norepinephrine (NE) or carbachol did not modify membrane potential of the smooth muscle cells in either muscle tissue, yet these agents evoked muscle relaxation or contraction, respectively; in the sphincter muscle. Reversed sequences of mechanical responses were observed in the dilator. Ca-free solution reduced the resting tension and blocked the agonist-induced contraction in both muscle tissues. Excess-[K]0 solution dose-dependently depolarized the muscle membrane, and evoked combined mechanical responses of relaxation and contraction which were blocked by adrenergic and cholinergic blocking agents, mainly due to NE or acetylcholine (ACh) released from the nerve terminals in both muscle tissues. In the sphincter muscle, excess-[K]0 solution evoked a phasic contraction in the presence of these blocking agents. Specific mechanical features of the dog iris in relation to excitation-contraction coupling were given attention.

The 1/f noise in MOSFETs using VHP (vertical high pressure) oxynitride gate insulator was studied. The 1/f noise is degraded by conventional oxynitride gate insulators. It was found that 1/f noise can be improved by using the VHP oxynitride gate insulator.

The effects of the substrate birefringence on the readback signal envelope of the magneto-optical disk are studied by a numerical model and model experiments. The envelope modulation of the RF signal amplitude is confirmed to be reduced by several percents by the adjustment of the conditions in the dynamic test. However, a low frequency noise is caused by local variation of the birefringence of the substrate. It is suggested that the conventional birefringence model for a typical plastic substrate might not be sufficient and a new model is proposed.